This second Skilful colourway swaps the neon-green accent for a distressed red graffiti-style graphic over a matte black-and-anthracite base — scratch marks, stencilled lettering and a circle-and-slash motif layered across the shell, a rougher and more aggressive read than the clean geometric lines of the glossy version. Where glossy Skilful is technical and precise, this matte version is deliberately worn-in and rebellious. Compared with its glossy Skilful sibling, this matte red version trades the neon-green accent for red graffiti lettering — a deliberately different mood within the same base graphic family rather than a simple recolour.

The matte finish

A matte clear coat sits over the graphic, suiting the distressed, hand-scrawled style better than gloss would — the flat finish reads as grittier and more deliberately imperfect, matching the graffiti-style graphic itself. As with any matte coat, expect fingerprints and fine surface marks to show more readily than on gloss. The red lettering and scratch-mark graphics sit slightly proud of the base coat under raking light, a texture effect gloss would have flattened but the matte finish preserves.

About this Skilful finish

This matte Skilful sits alongside a glossy version of the same graphic family, documented separately in this line — one of several decors in the 2027 Spartan RS range that Shark offers in both finishes side by side, giving buyers a choice of look without a different underlying design.

The certification behind the distressed graphic

Skilful Mat's shell carries the same ECE 22.06 certification as every other decor in this line — mandatory in the EU since January 2024 for newly homologated helmets, and a considerably tougher protocol than the 22.05 standard it replaced: eighteen impact points rather than five, several speeds rather than one, an oblique-impact test against a rough anvil that twists the shell, and a first-time rotational Brain Injury Criterion. The Norme field for this article reads 2206, a road certificate with no FIM suffix.

Shell construction, Skilful Mat

The matte Skilful shell is the same multiaxial composite fibre used throughout this line — several layers of glass fibre cross-laid at different angles rather than a single carbon weave. Against the carbon Spartan RS, everything structural and regulatory is identical: ECE 22.06, Double-D buckle, multi-density EPS, VZ300 visor. Carbon's real difference is weight at the first shell size and appearance, a genuine but modest gap rather than a second safety class.

Neck load across a riding day, Skilful Mat

At 1500 g for the smallest shell size (Shark's figure), Skilful Mat is neither notably light nor heavy for a fibre-shelled full-face helmet. The honest way to read that number is as a running total across a ride rather than a one-off spec: the neck carries the mass continuously, through every acceleration and head-check, which is why riding position and ride length matter at least as much as the gram count on the box.

Ventilation, Skilful Mat

The same layout as the rest of the line applies here: chin-bar and forehead intakes feeding a rear-spoiler exhaust that stays permanently open. Reviewers describe the sliders as easy to work with winter gloves but note the absence of detent clicks for fine adjustment. It is adequate for everyday conditions, with nobody in the independent reviews calling it class-leading.

Sun visor and outer visor, Skilful Mat

The internal sun visor drops down for nearly complete face coverage and holds distinct positions rather than a single stop, a feature independent reviewers rate well. The outer visor is Shark's VZ300: optical class 1, 2.8 mm to 2.2 mm thickness, four anchor points, central lock, anti-scratch treatment, clear Pinlock 120 pre-fitted.

Visor handling, Skilful Mat

The same tool-free, four-point visor lock fitted across this line applies to Skilful Mat, so a spare or tinted visor swap is quick rather than requiring a workshop visit. Anti-scratch coating comes standard on every decor in the range.

Comms compatibility, Skilful Mat

This decor uses the same cheek-pad recess as the rest of the range, built to take Shark's Sharktooth intercom or a SENA For SHARK unit flush against the shell. The intercom itself is a separate purchase, not included.

Fit, Skilful Mat

Two shell sizes span the XS-to-XXL range rather than three, a limitation flagged consistently in independent reviews of this helmet family. In exchange, the internal shape reads as rounder than many competitors, called out specifically as suiting riders who find Shoei or Arai too oval, with swappable cheek pads for further adjustment.

Wind noise, Skilful Mat

No decibel rating exists for this helmet from the manufacturer. Independent reviews diverge slightly in tone rather than in hard data: one finds the noise level unremarkable at legal speeds, the other flags a possible increase versus the predecessor Spartan GT due to the missing tight neck roll — a concern, not a measurement, and reported as such.

Spare parts, Skilful Mat

Shark keeps a dedicated visor collection covering this decor and the rest of the Spartan RS range, so a scratched Skilful Mat visor is a replacement part, not a reason to buy a new helmet. Because the VZ300 family is shared with the Spartan RS Carbon and the Spartan GT Pro Carbon, stock and tint choice stay broader than a unique visor would allow.

Where this sits in Shark's own range

Skilful Mat is also 389.99 EUR, level with the glossy version of the same graphic. Within Shark's own current range:

Limitations, honestly

The distressed graphic will read as busy up close to riders who prefer a cleaner design; that is a deliberate style choice, not a manufacturing inconsistency. The red accent, like the green on the glossy version, covers a minority of the shell. The usual two-shell-size and wind-noise caveats apply unchanged. A rider choosing between the two Skilful finishes in this line is really choosing between this grittier, worn-in matte tone and the crisper, more reflective glossy version documented separately — not between two versions of one look.